According to the Article 52 of the Constitution of India, at the head of the Union Executive is the President of India. In order to be qualified for election as President, a person must be a citizen of India, have completed the age of thirty five years, be qualified for election as member of the Lok Sabha and must not hold any office of profit under the government of India or the Government of any state or under any local or other authority subject to the control of any of the said government as mentioned in the Article 58. But a sitting President or Vice President of the Union or the governor of any State of a Minister either for the union or for any state as not disqualified for election as president. Besides the above mentioned qualifications the ordinance promulgated on June 5 1997 stipulates that there must be 50 proposals and 50 seconders for the presidential candidate. It has also increased the security deposit for the election of the President of India. The procedure of presidential election is contained in Article 54 and 55. While article 54 provides for the creation of an electoral college constituting of all the elected MLAs and MPs, article 55 provides for the formula of uniformity in the scale of representation of different States, as far as practicably, by incorporating the method of proportional representation with single transferable vote system. The total number of votes of an elected MLA is equals to the total population of the state divided by 1000 and the result is further divided by the total number of elected MLAs from the state. The total number of votes of an MP is equals to the total number of the votes as assigned to all elected MLAs divided by the number of elected MPs. No person can be declared elected as the president unless he secures more than half of the total votes cast. Since the election of the president is by proportional representation by means of single transferable vote the next step is to ascertain the quota. To determine the quota, the total number of votes polled is divided by the total number of members to be returned plus one and by adding one to the quotient. The members of Electoral College indicate their preferences on the ballot paper. If none of the candidates secure majority [...]
Archive for April, 2009
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India Voting: Heavy Weights in Third Phase.
April 30th, 2009 
Aman Today is the third phase of polling and fate of many heavy weights and super heavy weights in the game of politics would be locked in the EVMs. In the third leg of the General Elections in the country millions of voters turned out to cast their votes though it is too hot in most of the parts of the country. There are some 107 Lok Sabha seats cross nine different states for which more than 165 thousand polling stations are assigned where the people from all walks of life would exercise their franchise. There also are involved two seats in the union territories as well and the entire exercise of polling would take almost 10 hours if everything goes fine. All the major political parties whose candidates are contesting elections from these seats are claiming that they will finish at the top and that their parties would come up with a clean sweep thus getting a majority in the center to form new government. However, there are politicians both new and veterans who admit that it are going to be a hung parliament looking for a coalition to form a government. Out of the total of 714 million eligible voters of the country almost 144 million voters would exercise their right to vote. Among the big shot who are going to be chosen by the common masses of India the super heavy weights include Congress President Sonia Gandhi and BJP’s Prime Ministerial Candidate Mr. LK Advani. There are some 1567 candidates who are contesting these seats today in the third phase of the polling. This would close elections on 372 seats. There are two more rounds to go on May 7 and May 13. The counting of the votes would take place on May 16. The other heavy weights who would be tried in the court of common public include the former Prime Minister HD DeveGowda from Janata Dal Secular, Sharad Yadav from Janata Dal United, Gurudas Dasgupta from Communist Party of India and Jaswant Singh, the former external affairs minister from BJP. One can easily see men and women queued in front of the polling stations being protected and watched by the armed security personnel in these states. Today the states that are going to be covered include parts of Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, Dadar and Nagar Havelli [...]
The Framing of The Constitution
April 29th, 2009 Aman The political development of India as an independent and sovereign republic has its immediate historical roots in the period of British rule in India. The British from the beginning followed a repressive colonial policy in India. Economic exploitation first sowed the seed of nationalist awakening among Indians. This feeling was slowly but surely organised into a strong movement for political freedom from alien rule. The constitutional developments are inevitably linked with our nationalist movement. From 1858 onward, various Acts were made by the British government for the governance of India. None of them satisfied Indian aspirations, mainly because they were imposed by an alien force. As early as 1922, Mahatma Gandhi had put forward the demand that India’s political destiny should be determined by the Indians themselves. Swaraj will not e a free gift of the British parliament, it will be a declaration of India’s full self expression. The act of parliament will be merely a courteous ratification of the declared wish of the people of India. The demand for a constitution for the country being framed by its own people without the outside interference was first made by Indian National Congress in 1934 and repeated several times between 1935 and 1939. In 1938, Jawahar lal Nehru definitely formulated his demand for a Constituent assembly thus: the National Congress stands for independence and democratic state. It has proposed that the Constitution of free India must be framed without outside interference by a Constituent Assembly elected don the basis of Adult franchise. This was reiterated y the Working Committee of the Congress in 1939. This demand was however, resisted by the British government until the outbreak of World War II when external circumstance forced them to realize the urgency of solving the Indian constitutional problem. In 1940, the Coalition government in England recognized the principle that Indians should themselves farm a new constitution for autonomous India and in March 1942, when the Japanese were about to attack India, they sent Sir Stafford Cripps, a member of the Cabinet with a draft declaration of the proposals of the British government which were to be adopted at the end of the war, provided the two major political parties Congress and the Muslim league could come to an agreement to accept them. But the two major parties failed to come to an agreement to accept the proposals. It was under the Cabinet Mission [...]
Aam Admi Ke Badhte Kadam-Congress-I
April 29th, 2009 Aman Aam Admi Ke Badhte Kadam Har Kadam Par Bharat Buland The campaign for the 15th . Every party has come up with their election manifestos. Every party is trying to lure the voters to vote for them. Congress also has come up with a bundle of promises that it would want to fulfill once back in power after the elections. Most of the critics feel that the congress party is still trying the same age old guns and stance. Once again the party is banking on the issues related to the weaker sections and the minority sections of the society. Well it is not an incorrect approach. The only problem is that this is not a new approach. This is the party which has been in power for decades. In fact the party that has ruled India almost every 5 years in a decade since independence. Thus the common man of India expects a lot from them. There is a lot of pressure on the party because of the fact that it is the party that was in power the longest in India and they already have their government which they will have to defend. This is what congress is asking in its manifesto, “We seek a fresh mandate on the basis of our heritage, record of service and vision of the future. We reaffirm our unflinching commitment to the welfare of all our people, especially to the well-being of the weaker sections of our society. When you look at the manifesto of the congress you will find that the congress has compared itself with every other party that is not a part of UPA – the alliance that it has with other regional and national parties to form government in the Center. Congress talks about its past and has tried make fun of its main opponent BJP which look a bit immature. Like other parties it has talked about the fight against terrorism. Though it has once again stressed on the decentralization by bringing in the song of Panchayati Raj. I do know how much impact this can make in favor of congress. The congress has promised that there would be a balanced approach in dealing everything as it did in the past. It has stressed that because of its balanced approach only the country in standing in a good stead though recession has hit almost entire world. [...]
SUPER OVER- THIS IS IPL
April 28th, 2009 Aman In the DLF IPL, popular for its unorthodox style and the controversies, has added a new chapter with the introduction of “Super Over”. Unlike the T20 format of cricket as introduced by ICC, if two teams finish at the level score then the decision would be made by a “bowl out”, in which six ball would be bowled to the stumps and which ever team hits the maximum number would win. I believe you remember the game between India and Pakistan in the T20 world cup where India win the game in the bowl out only. This was expected in the game between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata knight riders as well however IPL showed something different. A super over was played in which batting first KKR (read Kolkata Knight Riders) scored 15 runs. Batting second Yusuf Pathan from Rajasthan Royal very easily made the score and won the game for his team. We’ll discuss that as well. The concept that IPL has brought into the game of cricket has changed the nature of the game. Never it was seen game being played in sponsored clothes, cheerleaders dancing and shouting after every wicket out and after every boundary scored, people in the stadium playing music and dancing. It was said to be game of gentlemen. Even the audience was expected to be silent and watching the game calmly as it happens in the game of tennis. However IPL has turned the face of the coin and more or less IPL cricket is like Football played in Europe and other countries where fans go crazy and the clubs rain money on the players like anything. IPL also has made dreams come thru. People always wondered what if Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasurya would open the innings. How lethal can they prove for the bowlers? Well, here you see. Mumbai Indians team has them as their opening pair. And as expected they are blasting almost every ball and have created a panic in the bowlers. The game of cricket has changed into a battle field with the warriors imported from almost every possible part of the world to their sides to win this battle. You see Chris Gayle and Brandon McCollum open of KKR. You see two brothers fight with each other. Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan. One bowls and the other bats and the vice versa. The fight is still on… keep [...]
BJP- DETERMINED LEADER DECISIVE GOVERNMENT
April 28th, 2009 Aman BJP: DETERMINED LEADER, DECISIVE GOVERNMENT With refreshing thoughts on decision and determination, BJP has projected Lal Krishan Advani as its prime ministerial candidate. In its election manifesto, BJP has promised very new ideas which though were talked by common man on “ BAATON KE ADDO PE”(places where common people meet and talk) like pan shops and chai walas, like a strong implementing strong measures to deal with terror and more importantly Pakistan etc. the very innovative thought that BJP has put into this year’s election manifesto is to touch a common man’s thinking. BJP has clearly mentioned that it would bring back the black money from the foreing banks within 100 days of its government if they come to power. Advani was also heard saying that they do not mind another nuclear test if voted to power. It would like to bring a paradigm shift in the way the issues related to foreign policy are dealt. For cross border terrorism, BJP has promised that a tough action would be taken against the groups and the countries who harbor them. “ BJP will send out a simple message, loud and clear, to terrorists and their sponsors. They will have to pay a heavy price for each innocent life lost. Retribution will be swift and exemplary,’’ the manifesto said. The BJP manifest promises that its government will put the poor first. Some of the promises that it has made to the poor of India include providing 35 kg of rice or wheat everymonth to all below poverty line families at the rate of Rs 2 per Kg. there would be coupon system that would be brought into practice and the coupons can be redeemed at public distribution centers and other private outlets. BJP has promised that it will waive off all the existing loans to the farmers and would give away new loans at the rate of 4%. It also plans to introduce a Farm Income Insurance Scheme to insure the price and produce. On the economic front, BJP plans to make a massive spending on infrastrucute projects to ensure that new employment opportunities could be created. Would bring schemes to encourage private industry and service sector. It promises to bring a low tax, low interest rate regime. The most attractive part for a common middle class man: it would exempt personal income tax for those earning up to 3 lakh per [...]
Rahul Gandhi- Young face of Congress
April 27th, 2009 Aman RAHUL GANDHI. Congress a party with almost a history of 200 years has been revived by young Rahul Gandhi. Opposition parties are scared of what his is doing and the way his popularity is increasing. Everyday we get news of his adventures be it going and living with the slum dwellers or attending a political rally with Omar Abdulla in Kashmir. Youth in the county is much inspired by him. This soft spoken, cultured, educated and more importantly responsible young politician has changed the way people looked at Congress. Born on June 19, 1970, the only son of former Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, presently the Congress president, Rahul is looked as future Prime Minister of the country. Though there are some chamchas in the congress who have voiced that Rahul should be projected as Prime Ministerial candidate this elections only but Rahul put a stop on all those rumors by saying that he is not enough experienced to hold the chair of a Prime Minister which is true as well. With people like Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram and of course Sonia Gandhi who have seen the Indian Politics and the Country for decades Rahul is truly very new in the field. This great grandson of the first Prime Minister of Free India, Pt. Jawaharlal Lal Nehru, had his schooling at Modern School, New Delhi. In education he enrolled for History (Hons) at St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi. He has also completed a four-year AB course in Economics at Harvard University. He was transferred due to security reasons to Rollins College in Florida. He has received M. Phil in Development Economics after attending Trinity College, Cambridge. He has worked as a financial consultant for a company at London. Now days he is active in Politics. He became the second member of the fifth generation of the Nehru-Gandhi family to enter into active politics. He won a seat in the 2004 parliamentary election from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh by a margin of 300,500 votes. Though critics have condemned his views of counting the 1971 break up of Pakistan into two and creating of Bangladesh as his family achievement as this statement invited severe criticism from different political parties, now Rahul has learnt how to speak something politically correct. He knows now that he is free to speak whatever he wants but should stay in limits. Not only from other [...]
NO SHOES PLEASE
April 27th, 2009 Aman With IPL season two, we also have here at home another IPL going on and in fact it was this IPL that forced the DLF IPL season 2 to go out of the country. I am taking about the INDIAN POLITICAL LEAGUE. As the country is going for the general elections, there were questions about the security both for the players and the politicians. Also the players from abroad were concerned because of the recent attacks in Mumbai and Lahore. Well as expected the politicians won and the players had to look for another ground as at home it was politicians who were playing. So the players decided to go to South Africa and play there. Now what matters here is that we need to think what is more important. Obviously we need to vote first because it is our moral duty and duty comes first. The country should get a stable government in time. Thus it was decided that the elections cannot be postponed. The game of cricket may wait for sometime but elections cannot. People of India should exercise their right to get a new government. They are hopeful of things to change. With recession going on across the globe everyone expects a new government to come and change things. People need jobs people need stability, people need security and so we cannot stay hung for merely a game of cricket. I feel it was a right decision. In the Political areana, the game of shoe throwing has become very popular. What a journalist started by thowing his show towards BUSH the former president of the United States has become common now in the political rallies. In fact, in India a thing becomes popular very easily. A few years back a little boy called Prince fell into a boring well. And there it started. Every other day there was a news of a child sitting in the well and rescue operations being on. A journalist threw shoe at P. Chitambram as a protest to what congress did to the 84 roits accused Tytlor and Jakhar and once again it started. Somebody threw shoe at the political ralley of Mr. Lal Krishan Advani. Then there was a new of someone throwing shoe at Mr. Manmohan Singh’s ralley. I do not understand what exactly these shoe throwers want to say or prove. India is a country with values. We have [...]
IPL OUTSIDE INDIA: LESS ADVERTISEMENTS
April 25th, 2009 Aman With new location for the second edition of the much awaited IPL T20 tournament has forced the advertisers and big companies who were planning to put their commercials and on ground advertisements to step back. Now that the tournament is being played in South Africa the key advertisers like Hyundai, havell’s and Reebok along with other advertisers have decided to cut down their budgets for the tournament. The spending on the on ground advertisements and promo spends for the IPL last year were more than 150 crores. It was expected that this year for the second edition of the game tournament the spending on the same would go up by 40% or even more. It was more than Rs 500 Crores for on air advertising which the advertising agencies were expecting. Reebok, the key brand for sports and fitness items is expected to cut down its budget for the tournament by 15-20%. This may be noted that Reebok is the sponsor for teams like Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Bangalore Royal Challengers and the Chennai Super Kings. The company believes that the charm and excitement for the tournament would not equal to what it was last year since it is not being played on the home grounds and in front of the home crowd. Reebok generated a good amount of sales from on ground promotions which it doubts would be repeated because of the fact that the home crowd would not be interested the way it was last year as the tournament is not being played in India. Any advertisements outside India would mean that the company will have to activate its marketing efforts outside India as well and this would mean that the revenue and profits would be shared with the same. Havell’s on the other hand has confirmed that it has reduced Rs 7-8 crores allocation for on ground promos at each of the domestic venues. This company is the key associate sponsor on air. It is reworking on its spending for the on air advertising. It has plans to spend Rs 30 Crores for on air promotions this year. On the same lines Hyundai also plans to cut down its spending. It would have backed its plans to carry on with the on air and on ground marketing activities if the tournament would have been played in India. Since that possibility is ruled out [...]
LAL KRISHAN ADVANI.
April 25th, 2009 Aman The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP (BHARTIYA JANATA PARTY) and the NDA (NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE) in the 2009 general elections is Mr. L.K. Advani. Right from 1980 when BJP was formed, Advani has served its party. He has been the president of the BJP for the longest period since its inception. It’s been approximately 3 decades that Mr. Advani is in the active politics. He became the Home Minister and then the deputy Prime Minister in the Vajpayee government of 1999-2004 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was born on 8 Nov 1927 in Sind before independence. He went to St. Patrick’s School Karachi. During schooling itself he joined the RSS- Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, commonly known as Sangh pariwar. He is regarded as a person with great intellectual ability. The man of strong principles Mr. LK ADVANI has always extended his unwavering support for the idea of a strong and prosperous India. He has never compromised on his core belief in nationalism as evidenced by prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, still he has shown a flexibility in the political responses when the situation demanded. At the age of 14, when he joined RSS, ever since he has dedicated his life to the service of the nation. Though he was one of those millions who saw the independence of India sadly as they had to leave their homes because of the partition of the country. Amid the terror and blood shed of the tragedy of India’s partition, his family came to India. All these tough times turned him a tough man. He is considered as the Iron man in the Indian politics. He saw hate and disharmony during partitions which turned him to social worker who had a desire to create a more secular India. He continued his work as RSS pracharak in Rajasthan once he was in India after partition. It was Advani’s efforts which he did during the latter half of the 1980s and 1990s that BJP came up as a major political party after congress. During the general elections of 1989, the party won 82 seats. It was a major bounce back as compared to 2 seats which it got in the elections of 1984. Later in the elections of 1992 the party got 121 seats and this story continued to 161 in the general elections of 1996 [...]
